In the rafters at John Paul Jones Arena, a myriad of treasured banners hang. Retired jersey numbers and postseason appearances fill the area, but one special banner stands out — the banner of the 2019 national championship. The heroics of guard Kyle Guy were essential in that all-time program highlight for Virginia. Fast forward five years later to today, and Guy is back in Charlottesville — now part of the coaching staff. Last week, Guy discussed his journey with The Cavalier Daily.
Xander Tilock: Hi Kyle, thank you so much for joining us. Starting off, what does it mean to be back on Grounds and with the program, and overall how are you doing?
Kyle Guy: “It’s really exciting. I don’t think I quite realized how much I missed it until we got back. We came back for a weekend in the summer that just felt like home again and obviously I got the job, so we’re thrilled to be back.”
XT: I have to ask, now that you are back, what’s your go-to Bodo’s order?
KG: “That’s a good one, I get a sausage, egg and cheese on an everything bagel, with an orange juice, and then I'll get two cinnamon bagels on the side with the cinnamon butter on it.”
XT: Also, the world needs to know — have you ever tried the Littlejohn’s sandwich named after you? What are your thoughts on that?
KG: “I haven’t tried it, I need to really badly though. I think you just made that a priority for me next week. I really want to try it, I’ve heard good things about it. I was touring the football facility and a couple of guys said they’d had it and that it was good.”
XT: Building off of that, what makes Charlottesville special for you?
KG: “I think it’s a little bit of everything. I think it’s one of those really neat and unique towns that just has a little of everything, like the people, the sports at the University, pretty much all of them are pretty badass… or really good. And obviously the coaching staff — the people around the basketball program are just the type of people you want to be around every day.”
XT: What was it like playing for Coach [Tony] Bennett? How has he helped you become the amazing person you are today?
KG: “I wouldn’t say amazing, but he definitely has helped shape me as a person. There was the whole thing — U.Va. was the last school to offer me a scholarship. They came in, in all relativity, late to the recruiting for me but Coach [Bennett] is just so genuine and he had my best interests on and off the court. I knew we were going to get along when every other coach promised me playing time and he [Bennett] said I had to earn everything, so that was what sealed the deal.”
XT: Free throw shooting is certainly a hot topic among Cavaliers fans these days. Walk me through that 2019 Auburn game in the Final Four where you came up clutch and made three straight free throws. How did you stay cool and win the game? How will you help this year’s team improve in that area?
KG: “Free throws are two things — reps and confidence. When you put the two together, you don’t miss a whole lot. When you only have one, you’ll miss some, and when you have neither, you’ll miss a lot. I think we just continue with the reps and giving them confidence at the line, and I think that will help make a difference.”
XT: Let’s talk NIL, what are your thoughts on all the recent developments?
KG: “I don’t have too many thoughts. I think it’s great players are getting rewarded for their hard work and they will be able to represent the University and their families well. I’m all for it. Most of our guys are really responsible too, which makes it that much more intriguing for our University.”
XT: Now in 2024, what are you aiming to do as a coach?
KG: “You know, everyone keeps asking me if I want to be a head coach. I really just want to be really good in this role, help the team and be a part of something bigger than myself.”
XT: For those who may not know what your title means, what do you do as an Athlete Development Mentor and Special Assistant?
KG: “What I’m best at is being able to help mentor and pass on the knowledge that I have gathered from people before me, and I really enjoy it. It’s one of my passions. Even if I wasn’t a coach, I had an AAU program back in Indiana, I do camps and I really enjoy that kind of thing. I’m hoping it will be a nice little bridge from player to coach and then the rest of it is whatever [Bennett] needs me to do.”
XT: This year’s team has a lot of new pieces. What do you think the ceiling is? What are some things to get excited about?
KG: “We definitely are an improved team shooting the ball, which is fun to see. There are good first years in the program that I think will be able to contribute, and we definitely have a ways to go but thankfully it’s only September.”
XT: If there’s one or two things you want our readers to know, what would those be?
KG: “Our transfers are really good, man. The people that we got in the portal will play a prominent role and help us. This team will be dangerous in March.”
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
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